[GreQonE]

Hello everyone,

Was it just me that was extraordinarily bothered by lack of Aux input in my NBT Evo equipped i3s?

Did any of you maybe have heard or used this product?
https://naviks.com/i-24076201-bmw-nb...tegory:1207127

I have asked what this product does, and the manufacturer claims it just adds the aux input.

Cheers,

[Myi3reXhandy]

Originally Posted by GreQonE

Hello everyone,

Was it just me that was extraordinarily bothered by lack of Aux input in my NBT Evo equipped i3s?

Did any of you maybe have heard or used this product?
https://naviks.com/i-24076201-bmw-nb...tegory:1207127

I have asked what this product does, and the manufacturer claims it just adds the aux input.

Cheers,

What's that for ??

[GreQonE]

You plug it in to the usb socket and it works as a mini jack aux input

[tom @ eas]

Would think it'd be easier to stream instead via Bluetooth.

[GreQonE]

Originally Posted by tom @ eas

Would think it'd be easier to stream instead via Bluetooth.

Well, I would, however from quality standpoint that's the worst possible solution.

A2DP Bluetooth implemented in BMW iDrive system is using SBC codec to transfer sound, which bitrate is around 190kbps if my memory serves right, which would correspond to quality of around 112-128kbps in MP3 format terms.

Unfortunately that kind of quality downgrade has a sizable impact on my listening experience

[GreQonE]

I have found a partial solution:
https://gromaudio.com/dashlinq/

This cable when paired with application allows android device to be seen by the NBT (or any other multimedia infotainment system in this case) as an iPhone - audio output is then realised through USB cable, using internal in-car DAC.

I have ordered the cable, waiting for the package now

[GreQonE]

Ok, So I am testing the GROM Audio Wirelinq solution.

It's by no means perfect, what I was able to find out is that Android devices only up to Android 8.0 work.
Lack of compatibility with newer devices is due to the fact that Google without telling anyone removed it's support for a codec/framework called AOAV2 which allowed for such a magicalfeckery to happen.

The solution itself is buggy at best, sometimes it does not connect when using older phone and sometimes it just chirps around.
I thought that this wouldn't be much of an issue as I have Wifi hotspot in my car, however quality of the internet connection with the hotspot does not allow for a comfortable streaming of music.

So summing it up, if you have an older phone then it might be OK, however I wouldn't recommend it if you want to set up an older android for the task.

And the quality of audio is OK, it's not perfect because there's some upsampling/downsampling going on, however it's a night and day difference if you compare it to bluetooth.

[Encanto]

Originally Posted by GreQonE

Well, I would, however from quality standpoint that's the worst possible solution.

A2DP Bluetooth implemented in BMW iDrive system is using SBC codec to transfer sound, which bitrate is around 190kbps if my memory serves right, which would correspond to quality of around 112-128kbps in MP3 format terms.

Unfortunately that kind of quality downgrade has a sizable impact on my listening experience

The worse possible solution from quality standpoint is AUX, the one that you are looking for.

The OEM system USB and HDD support lossless.

[GreQonE]

Originally Posted by Encanto

The worse possible solution from quality standpoint is AUX, the one that you are looking for.

The OEM system USB and HDD support lossless.

Would you mind to elaborate on AUX quality?

Aux generally offers bypassing the car dac, providing only amplification thus can offer even higher quality than playing music from car hdd IF paired with right DAC.

USB/HDD combo is great, however I have only limited access to offline music, as I am mostly using Tidal nowadays.



EDIT: I have solved this issue in general by buying first an iPhone 5S which didn't work, and now swapped it for a iPhone SE with a data plan which works like a charm.

[Encanto]

There is no bypassing the car DAC -AUX will go thru the OEM HU DAC, then thru the ADC then thru the analog outputs (Stereo system) to the analog OEM amp (HK system) in the i3 audio OEM systems.

All that is before your source going thru their DAC to output thru AUX.

By using USB and converting your music to Lossless then there is no DAC until the output of the OEM HU. If using streaming music (i.e. Spotify) then set the streaming/playback quality to high at the app. In the case of Spotify for example, this means 320kbps which is what is called "CD-like".

Originally Posted by GreQonE

Would you mind to elaborate on AUX quality?

Aux generally offers bypassing the car dac, providing only amplification thus can offer even higher quality than playing music from car hdd IF paired with right DAC.

USB/HDD combo is great, however I have only limited access to offline music, as I am mostly using Tidal nowadays.


EDIT: I have solved this issue in general by buying first an iPhone 5S which didn't work, and now swapped it for a iPhone SE with a data plan which works like a charm.

[GreQonE]

Originally Posted by Encanto

There is no bypassing the car DAC -AUX will go thru the OEM HU DAC, then thru the ADC then thru the analog outputs (Stereo system) to the analog OEM amp (HK system) in the i3 audio OEM systems.

All that is before your source going thru their DAC to output thru AUX.

By using USB and converting your music to Lossless then there is no DAC until the output of the OEM HU. If using streaming music (i.e. Spotify) then set the streaming/playback quality to high at the app. In the case of Spotify for example, this means 320kbps which is what is called "CD-like".

Basically the DAC processes AUX input in a reverse fashion, so reads the analog input and the passed it through digitally to the HK AMP, there's no analog connection between the HK AMP and HU

Streaming through bluetooth is still limited by HU's support of SBC codec, which is about 128kbps in MP3 standards, therefore changing spotify quality will not equal in much of a audio difference.

[Encanto]

Originally Posted by GreQonE

Basically the DAC processes AUX input in a reverse fashion, so reads the analog input and the passed it through digitally to the HK AMP, there's no analog connection between the HK AMP and HU

Streaming through bluetooth is still limited by HU's support of SBC codec, which is about 128kbps in MP3 standards, therefore changing spotify quality will not equal in much of a audio difference.

The i3 HK (674) amp is analog.

This is about USB connection instead of AUX, not BT Audio.

[GreQonE]

Originally Posted by Encanto

The i3 HK (674) amp is analog.

This is about USB connection instead of AUX, not BT Audio.

Ouch! I did not expect that BMW took that much of a step backwards when designing those systems.

I was working all the time under the impression that all DA conversion is happening via the AMP.

Damn, that's a dissapointment.